All terrain vehicles (ATVs) are multipurpose vehicles that are popular for recreational use, such as camping and fishing, and utility use either on the job or around the house. The adaptability and versatility of an ATV can support many off-road tasks within agriculture, forestry, horticulture and similar outdoor industries. In addition, this adaptability and versatility make ATVs ideal for military use. ATVs easily traverse various off-highway trails, reach rugged locations that other vehicles cannot, and offer business operators the opportunity to accomplish work in the field at significant financial savings when compared to using a truck or tractor. Utility ATVs, especially suited for hauling and towing as well as trail riding, are as popular as ATVs for weekend recreational riding. ATVs operate in all climates and are among the most versatile vehicles in operation today.
ATVs are off-road vehicles characterized by having four wheels (two front and two rear) with low pressure tires, handlebars connected to the front wheels for steering, a straddle-type seat designed for a single rider (although the seat may be designed to accommodate multiple passengers), laterally extending footrests on opposite sides of the vehicle, and an engine and transmission located generally beneath the straddle-type seat and substantially between the footrests. ATVs are generally not wider than about 50 inches; most commonly about 44 to 48 inches in overall width. The transmission typically is connected by a suitable drive train to the rear wheels. In many applications, it is desirable to have all four wheels driven by the engine. Four wheel drive ATVs usually have one drive train connecting the transmission to the rear wheels and a separate drive train connecting the transmission to the front wheels.
ATVs are occasionally fitted with a winch. A winch is a stationary motor-driven or hand-powered machine used for pulling, hoisting, hauling or to assist in the extraction of the ATV from a stuck position. A typical winch has a cable made of wound metal strands, rope, chain, or other similar material having high tensile strength wound around a drum. In addition, the winch may have a hook at one end of the cable useful for attaching the cable to a desired object. The winch may also include opposed cylindrical rollers attached on each side of the cable to facilitate winding and unwinding. Motor-driven winches often have an operator control switch mounted on or near the handlebars. The motor is generally electric and is powered by the ATV's battery or electrical system.
The winch can be used in a variety of ways. For example, one end of the cable may be attached to a stationary object and the winch used to help move or extricate the ATV from an entangled position. Additionally, one end of the cable may be attached to an object in order to hoist or haul it.
ATVs occasionally have either a front or a rear mounted winch, but not both. Some ATVs have a transfer system that allows a single winch to be moved to a front mounting location or to a rear mounting location. In such transfer systems, power for the winch is supplied simultaneously to both the front and rear electrical harnesses. That is, if a second winch was added to the mounting location not occupied by the first winch, the winches would operate simultaneously unless the operator unplugged one of the winches from its electrical harness. For example, if the operator actuates the front winch, the rear winch would be actuated too.
The transfer design can render the winch useless in many situations. If an ATV becomes stuck, it is time consuming, inconvenient, or impossible to transfer the winch from one end of the ATV to the other. For instance, if one end of the ATV is submerged or butted up against an object, the winch at that end is not accessible. If the winch cannot be transferred to the appropriate position for a given situation it cannot be utilized for its intended use.